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A Citi Bike user pedals off from a bicycle station. The company that owns the service in New York and other cities has been sold, after suffering problems tied to its supply chain and the weather.

A Citi Bike user pedals off from a bicycle station. The company that owns the service in New York and other cities has been sold, after suffering problems tied to its supply chain and the weather. John Moore/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption John Moore/Getty Images

The Two-Way

Firm Buys Big Bike-Share Service; Expansion And Higher Rates Seen

Announcing the deal today, Alta said it would expand its service and raise the annual fee to $149 for its New York customers. The company also operates in other large cities.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud as the Saudi ambassador to the United States, Adel al-Jubeir, listens before a meeting at the Royal Palace in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 11.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud as the Saudi ambassador to the United States, Adel al-Jubeir, listens before a meeting at the Royal Palace in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 11. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Parallels

Why Does Saudi Arabia Seem So Comfortable With Falling Oil Prices?

Normally, the "central banker of oil" would slow production to push up prices. Not so now. Some say it's a geopolitical tactic aimed at Russia and Iran; others say it's just protecting market share.

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Nearly 90 percent of companies do formal evaluations at least once a year, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.

Nearly 90 percent of companies do formal evaluations at least once a year, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. Zack Blanton/iStockphoto hide caption

itoggle caption Zack Blanton/iStockphoto

Behold The Entrenched — And Reviled — Annual Review

Performance review season is nearing, and if you're like most people, there's no celebrating that. Studies show that 60 to 90 percent of employees dislike the ritual. So some firms are backing away.

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Proponents of the taxes say that if the measures pass, the money would be directed, in San Francisco, toward childhood nutrition and recreation and, in Berkeley, into the city's general fund.

Proponents of the taxes say that if the measures pass, the money would be directed, in San Francisco, toward childhood nutrition and recreation and, in Berkeley, into the city's general fund. Joel Saget /AFP/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Joel Saget /AFP/Getty Images

The Salt

Soda-Makers Try To Take Fizz Out Of Bay Area Tax Campaigns

Voters will decide on a penny-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks in Berkeley and a 2-cent-per-ounce tax in San Francisco. But the soda industry's lobbying group has spent millions blasting the measures.

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A customer makes a purchase using Apple Pay on her iPhone 6 at a Walgreens store in Times Square last Monday. The mobile payment service has now been blocked by CVS and Rite Aid.

A customer makes a purchase using Apple Pay on her iPhone 6 at a Walgreens store in Times Square last Monday. The mobile payment service has now been blocked by CVS and Rite Aid. John Minchillo/AP Images for MasterCard hide caption

itoggle caption John Minchillo/AP Images for MasterCard

The Two-Way

CVS Pulls Apple Pay, And Many See A Fight Over Mobile Wallets

Rite Aid took the same step, leading many observers to note that the two companies are part of a group of retailers that's developing its own payment system, called CurrentC.

Pandora founder Tim Westergren is a former touring musician himself, but some say the music streaming service he leads is hurting musicians more than helping.

Pandora founder Tim Westergren is a former touring musician himself, but some say the music streaming service he leads is hurting musicians more than helping. Larry Busacca/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Larry Busacca/Getty Images

All Tech Considered

Pandora Hopes To Lure Musicians Backstage With Analytics

The music streaming company is making a play for artists' goodwill, announcing a new service that gives musicians access to data on who is listening to their music, when and where.

Companies from Jordan, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran were among the more than 100 Internet startups at this year's Startup Istanbul event on Sept. 30. It was Iranian entrepreneurs' first time competing on an international stage.

Companies from Jordan, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran were among the more than 100 Internet startups at this year's Startup Istanbul event on Sept. 30. It was Iranian entrepreneurs' first time competing on an international stage. Courtesy of Startup Istanbul hide caption

itoggle caption Courtesy of Startup Istanbul

Parallels

Iranian Entrepreneurs Make Pitches That Are Just Practice, For Now

Young Iranians are brimming with ideas for tech startups. But extensive financial sanctions facing their country prevent them from entering the global marketplace.

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The 2002 Honda CR-V is one of dozens of car models subject to a recall for faulty air bags. The air bag manufacturer, Takata, supplies bags for more than 30 percent of all cars and is one of only three large air bag suppliers.

The 2002 Honda CR-V is one of dozens of car models subject to a recall for faulty air bags. The air bag manufacturer, Takata, supplies bags for more than 30 percent of all cars and is one of only three large air bag suppliers. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety/AP hide caption

itoggle caption Insurance Institute for Highway Safety/AP

No Quick Fixes For Drivers Affected By Air Bag Recall

The massive auto recall announced this week is different from most. It affects more than one-third of air bags on the road and there are no simple fixes, short of a full air bag replacement.

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Real Housewives of Atlanta star Lisa Wu Hartwell gets a hair treatment at a "Curl Party" hosted by Carol's Daughter and theYBF.com in 2010.

Real Housewives of Atlanta star Lisa Wu Hartwell gets a hair treatment at a "Curl Party" hosted by Carol's Daughter and theYBF.com in 2010. Paras Griffin/Landov hide caption

itoggle caption Paras Griffin/Landov

Code Switch

A Black Cosmetic Company Sells, Or Sells Out?

Carol's Daughter was started to sell products for black women who wear their hair natural. But ever since L'Oréal bought the brand, folks are wondering if it can maintain the loyalty of its customers.

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